Here’s a “wrap-up” for you and yours via The Blacktooth Camp and co. We asked some rad people in town who we think do rad things to compile their top 5 records of the year (some released in 2011 and some they just dug the most in 2011). A diverse sprinkling, both in terms of records and choosers, it’s of interesting note that a lot of locals show up, as well as the absence (barring a few exceptions) of solely, new, released-in-2011 records. Maybe that has something to say, maybe it doesn’t.

At any rate, in addition to the top 5′s, we’ve culled together a mix from some of our favorites in town. The bands are entities that we’ve (mostly) talked about on here, one way or the other, as well as bands who’s records we’ve put out (or would like to put out. Or are in). This is a fantastic run of demos/unreleased/new songs from some of the most talented people in town (or, in the case of Dungen, who came to town):

You’ve got a Chrome Pony jam from their demo release (a song that wasn’t re-recorded for their Illegal Smiles EP); a new demo from Fly Golden Eagle; The Phantom Farmer brings hot fire, which is from Joel McAnulty’s (By Lightning) forthcoming solo release, Home On the Frequency Range: Alpha; James Wallace visits weird city with Jen Turner of Here We Go Magic; Jota Ese remixes the unflappable Mark Morrison‘s early-90′s slow jam, “Return of the Mac” and sends it straight to atonal hell; Natalie Prass shows how sexy mumbling can be on her demo of the slow, well-tempered-synth jam, “Bird of Prey”; John McSparran, puppeteer-extraordinaire, gives us a short introduction track under a misnomer (which should direct you to his very-rare project Cigarette Trees); a ghost by the name of Odessa chills all over it; the post-mortem Hepatitties give a demo from their progenitor days that never made it onto the now-cult-classic A Taste for Peaches EP; a more sentient and palliative state is where you will find Majestico; and the nubile and raw-as-real-time-revolution men in Ranch Ghost cut a new track over at BIV town with Jitch manning the boards that acts as the auditory whiskey you add to your apple cider. (Speaking of Jitch, he recorded the Dungen-Sweedz when they came through town last year and Ben T. made it sound right.)

Download the mix after the picture below, and read on to see the top 5′s.

Michael Daves And Chris Thile – Sleep With One Eye Open
Nikki Lane – Walk Of Shame
Louvin Brothers – Satan Is Real (repress by Light In The Attic, I know, but this is a really important album that a lot more people will hear now.)
Charles “Packy” Axton – Late Late Party 1965-67 (Another Light In The Attic Repress but goddamnit this record rules.)
Kenny Vaughan – V